Mark Your Calendars! Fall Music Madness

With the turning of the calendar, it’s the last month of the third quarter of the year. In the music world, this means another big push of album releases to hit sales numbers for the quarter. This month sees a lot of great albums for those fans of the “alternative” music genre (like me!), albums from both of the original stars of the Broadway version of Wicked and a movie soundtrack that is worth checking out too. Here’s my run-down of the albums that should be on your radar.

September 9th and the 16th were big music release days, in case you missed these album !

Bastille – Wild Worlds

The Head and the Heart – Signs of Light

Local Natives – Sunlit Youth

Grouplove – Big Mess

Against Me! – Shape Shift with Me (you can catch them live at Ace of Spades on October 29th!)

It also means the closing of festival season, and the start of new fall/winter tours. And there are A LOT of amazing shows in the next couple months (even to make me go broke and then some) which means some tough choices on what to go to and what to skip.

First, if you missed Fitz and the Tantrums’ epic show at Ace of Spades you can head to Oakland and catch them at the Fox Theater on October 12th. And if you missed Brand New in Berkeley, they’ll be in Reno on October 29th and San Jose on October 31st. If I wasn’t already booked with other shows, I’d be attending because both bands are worth seeing (again and again).

Ace of Spades has definitely proved true to their word with booking some great acts since Live Nation took ownership. The sold out (so glad I got tickets!) Bad Religion and Against Me! show on October 29th is just one example. They are also continuing to take me back to my younger days of Warped Tour. Here are some of my recommendations:

September 25th: RX Bandits

October 2nd: Buckcherry and Hoobastank

October 6th: Simple Plan

October 23rd: Yellowcard

October 24th: Young the Giant (It’s sold out but they’re playing at the Fox in Oakland on the 22nd if it’s a must see for you)

October 29th: Bad Religion

And of course we’ve got our brand new downtown arena, the Golden 1 Center, opening up with some big shows.

October 4th and October 5th: Paul McCartney

October 15th: Maroon 5 with Tove Lo and Phases (who recently opened for Fitz and the Tantrums)

October 20th: Jimmy Buffet

Other shows of note in the area:

Sepetmber 23rd: Cyndi Lauper at Thunder Valley

October 14th: Wonderbread 5 at Harlow’s

October 22nd: Reverend Horton Heat at Thunder Valley

Photo Source: http://exploremidtown.org/

And of course, if you want to go a bit further afield (which has always been worth it in my book):

September 20th: Atmosphere at The Masonic

September 20th: Cold War Kids at Fox Theater

September 22nd: Lindsey Stirling at Fox Theater

September 24th: Def Leppard with Tesla and REO Speedwagon at Toyota Amphitheater

September 24 and 25th: Drake at SAP Center at San Jose

September 24th: Garbage at The Masonic

October 1st: Tegan and Sara at Fox Theater

October 5th: Phantogram at Fox Theater

October 6th: Grouplove at Fox Theater

October 7th: Saint Lucia at Fox Theater

October 20th: Green Day at UC Theatre in Berkeley

What new music or upcoming show is on your radar? What’s your must-see? Tell me on Twitter (@mesulli).